posted on 2023-08-25, 14:20authored byThomas S. Dexheimer, Nathan P. Coussens, Thomas Silvers, John Wright, Joel Morris, James H. Doroshow, Beverly A. Teicher
<p>Combination of ATR inhibitors with topotecan or trabectedin. Concentration–response curves (top, mean ± SD, <i>n</i> = 4 technical replicates) with corresponding mean Bliss score plots (bottom, <i>n</i> = 4 technical replicates) showing the scores from each combination's concentration matrix and colored as a heat map (blue indicates synergy; yellow indicates additivity; red indicates antagonism). Combinations of the DNA-damaging drug topotecan with the ATR inhibitors berzosertib (<b>A</b>) and elimusertib (<b>B</b>). Combinations of the DNA-damaging drug trabectedin with either berzosertib (<b>C</b>) or elimusertib (<b>D</b>). Data are shown for complex tumor spheroids grown with the malignant cell lines (from left): 287954-098-R-J1 (Ewing sarcoma), NCI-H841 (SCLC), DMS 114 (SCLC), COR L88 (SCLC), and 425362-245-T-J1 (melanoma).</p>
Clinical efficacy of DNA-damaging anticancer drugs can be influenced by the DNA damage response in tumor cells. The potentiation of DNA-damaging drugs by pharmacologic modulation of DNA repair pathways was assessed in multicellular tumor spheroids. Although most combinations demonstrated additive cytotoxicity, synergistic cytotoxicity was observed for several drug combinations.